Moistening device



(No Model.)

J. J. KARGES.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

NO. 603,768. Patented May 10,1898.

B I Fz I av fr @5 l5 Gwen w UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

.IULIUs J. KARGES, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,768, dated May 10, 1898.

Applicationjled March 5, 1897- Serial No. 626,150. (No model.)

To aZZ whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUs J. KARGES, a citizen of the United States, residing in Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moistening Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in moistening-pads.

The object of my invention is to provide a moistening device adapted to be used in connection with label or stamp affixing machines and by the use of which the labels or stamps held in the machine may be moistened one by one upon their gummed sides prior to their being affixed.

My invention provides a moistenin g device in which the water applied to the stamp or label shall be evenly distributed uponthe gummed surface thereof.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used successfully with the class of label-affixing machines in which the labels are held in a pile and are withdrawn from the holder one at a time by means of the adherence of the labels to the articles to which they have been affixed prior to their withdrawal from the holder. With this class of label-afiixers I have found it to.be a difficult matter to apply to each label before affixing the proper amount of water to the gummed side. Usually too much water is taken up by the label, thus destroying its adhering power, and as the labels are held in the holder in a pile an excess of Water is apt to moisten more than the bottom label, in which event several labels may be stuck together, destroying the efficiency of the machine. I have also found that sometimes the labels will stick to the moistening-pad when applied thereto. It is the aim of my invention to provide a moistening device in. which these defects are obviated. In order-to prevent the label taking up too much water, I provide a thin strip of absorbent material, such as a piece of linen cloth, mounted upon anon-absorbent support and communicating with a water-supply. I

also provide means for preventing thelabel' from adheringto the strip of absorbent material. I

cover removed. Fig. III represents a plan view of the same. Fig. IV represents a vertical sectional view with the cover removed and showing a modification of the non-absorbent plate H and also a vertical sectional view of a common form of label-affixer. Fig. V represents an edge View of a plate H, in

which the plate is provided with corrugations.

Fig. VI represents a plan view of another form of the plate H, in which the plate is perforated. Fig. VII represents the plate II in the form of-a wire screen. Fig. VIII represents a vertical sectional viewof the pad, in which an auxiliary absorbent strip'is interposed between the absorbent strip G and the non-absorbent support.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.

A-indicates the receptacle for the pad, comprising a box of any desirable conformation and having a cover B.

0 indicates four posts secured one in each corner of the box A and adapted to support a horizontal block D, upon the upper side of which rests a cushion of felt or other resilient material. Inclosing the block D and the cushion E is a non-absorbent covering F, which may be of soft rubber, oil-cloth, or other suitable material. Lying flat upon the covering F is a strip of absorbent material, such as linen cloth. The box A below the block D contains a supply of water, which is conveyed, as required, in any desirable manner to the absorbent strip G.

In Figs. II, III, and IV, I have shown the strip G with its ends extending into the water-supply. In this form the water is carried as needed from-the source of supply to the portion of the strip lying upon the covering F.

by absorption. The strip G, being of thin area, presents the water absorbed by it in the form of a thin sheet, so that when the label is applied to the strip an excess of water is not taken up by it. In case the label used requires more water than is retained upon the portion of the strip G above the covering F an auxiliary absorbent strip (indicated by L in Fig. VIII) may be interposed between the strip G and the covering F; or the part L, instead of being a separate piece, may be integral with the strip G. Where the label requires a less amount of water than is absorbed by the strip G, I place upon the strip G a plate of non-absorbent material, (indicated by H,) and upon this plate I place another absorbent strip, (indicated by I.) The water from the strip G may be conveyed to the strip I in numerous ways, and the plate I-I may be of any desirable material, such as oil-cloth, soft rubber, or metal.

In the form shown in Figs. II and III the plate H is flat and not provided with perforations and may be a strip of oil-cloth. In this form the water is conveyed to the portion of the strip I above the plate H by having the ends of the strip passed under the plate H and resting upon the'strip G.

I have found that with some kinds of labels that the label when applied to the strip I to be moistened is apt to adhere thereto and be withdrawn from the label-holder. overcome this trouble in several ways. One way to avoid this trouble is to provide a plate I'I,havin g a foraminated or roughened surface. With such a surface there is much less liability of the label adhering to the stripI than where the strip lies upon a smooth surface, such as non-perforated oil-cloth. In order to have such a surface, the plate H may be corrugated, as shown in Fig. V, or it may be perforated, as shown in Fig. VI, or it may be in the form of a wire screen, as illustrated in Fig. VII. Another way in which this difficulty may be obviated is to provide a curved resilient plate H, as shown in Fig. IV. In this last form, when the label is applied against the strip I with some pressure the plate H is pressed flat against the strip G and water is taken therefrom through perforations in the plate. If now the label be withdrawn, it will be released from the strip 1 by degrees, beginning at the edges and being released at the center last.

In Fig. IV the labels are indicated by K and the label-holder by J.

In using the term foraminated, descriptive of the surface of the non-absorbent plate H, it is meant to' include a plate having recesses or holes in its upper surface and which may or may not be imperforate, and is also intended to include the forms illustrated in Figs. V, VI, and VII.

Other means than those shown in Figs. II

and IV may be utilized for conveying the water from the supply and holding it in the form of a thin sheet and equally distributed I have I over the non-absorbent covering F. Various other forms of construction may also be utilized without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Afterusing the moistening device the cover B is closed.- It will be found after a long period of time that upon opening the box the apparatus is in excellent working condition and will so remain as long as any water remains within the receptacle.

As stated hereinbefore, the functions of the cloth strip G and the strip I are to present the water in the formof a thin sheet of considerable area. Any filamentous substance otherwise than cloth that has absorbent qualities may be utilized for this purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a moistening device, the combination with a cushioned pad, of anon-absorbent covering for the pad, and a filamentous device of absorbent material upon the said covering, there being a liquid-supply below the pad with which the filamentous device has communication, substantially as described.

2. In a moistening device, the combination with a cushioned pad, of a non-absorbent covering for the pad, there being a liquid-supply below the pad, and a cloth strip upon the coverin g and communicating with the liquid-supply, substantially as described.

3. In a moistening device, the combination with a suitable receptacle adapted to contain a liquid-supply, of a cushioned support having a non-absorbent covering and located Within the receptacle, and a filamentous device upon the support and extending below the same, substantially as described.

4. In a moistening device, the combination with a suitable receptacle adapted to contain a liquid-supply, of a cushioned support having a non-absorbent covering and located within the receptacle, and a cloth strip upon the support and extending below the same, substantially as described.

5. In a moistening device, the combination with a support of non-absorbent material, of a filamentous absorbent covering for the support, a nonabsorbent plate upon the said covering, a filamentous covering for the said plate and an absorbent connection between the two coverings, substantially as described.

6. In a moistening device, the combination with a support of non-absorbent material, of a filamentous absorbent covering for the support, a non-absorbent plate upon the said covering, a filamentous covering for the said plate and means for conveying moisture from one covering to the other, substantially as described.

7. In a moistening device, the combination with a non-absorbent support, of an absorbent covering for the same, a plate having a foraminated upper surface upon the said covering, an absorbent covering for the said plate, and means for conveying moisture from ture'from one covering to the other, substanone covering to the other, substantially as detially as described. 10 scribed. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 8. In a moistening device, the combination in presence of two Witnesses. 5 with a non-absorbent support, of an absorb- V JULIUS J. KARGES.

ent covering for the same, a curved plate upon "Witnesses: the said covering, an absorbent covering for M. 0. LONG,

the said plate, and means for conveying mois- WARREN D. HOUSE. 

